NR2A-Containing NMDARs in the PFC Are Required for Working Memory Associated with cognitive decline

[Godsmacker]

This is the full text which a colleague of mine wrote; I hope the community finds it to be of interest

 

[332211]

please, give a tl;dr

and: are we able to hack the process somehow? i'd really be interested in improving my dual n back score

 

[Godsmacker]

Working memory,the abilityto hold information “in mind,” requires persistent activity of pyramidal neurons in prefrontal cortex
(PFC) mediated by NMDA receptor (NMDAR) activation. NMDAR loss in PFC may account for working memory impairments in
aging and psychiatric disease. Our studies demonstratethat NMDARs containingthe NR2A subunit, but notthe NR2B subunit, are
required for working memory and that loss of NR2A predicts severity of age-related working memory impairment. The importance
of NR2A to working memory is likely due its abundant contribution to pyramidal neuron activity and location at synaptic
sites in PFC. This information is useful in designing new therapies to treat working memory impairments by enhancing the
function of NR2A-containing NMDARs.